The Yellow Sea (2010 Film)

The Yellow Sea (Korean: 황해; RR: Hwang Hae) is a 2010 South Korean thriller film written and directed by Na Hong-jin. The film stars Ha Jung-woo as Ku-nam, a taxi driver living in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, China, who becomes entangled in a dangerous criminal underworld after accepting a contract to commit a murder in South Korea to settle his mounting debts.

Promotional poster for the film The Yellow Sea.

Plot

Ku-nam struggles to survive in Yanbian, working as a taxi driver while frequenting gambling halls. His life is defined by financial desperation and the absence of his wife, who left for South Korea with the promise of sending money home. After losing his job and facing aggressive debt collectors, he is approached by Myung-ga, a local crime boss, who offers him a deal: travel to South Korea to carry out a hit in exchange for 57,000 yuan. Ku-nam accepts and travels to South Korea, where he attempts to locate his wife while preparing for the assassination. The mission quickly spirals into chaos, forcing Ku-nam to flee from both the police and rival criminal organizations.

Actor Ha Jung-woo — Ha Jung-woo portrays the protagonist, Ku-nam.

Production

Principal photography for the film began in December 2009, with production moving to Yanbian, China, in March 2010. Much of the Korean filming took place in Busan, with the production receiving grant support from the Busan Film Commission. The film was produced by Popcorn Film and received investment from 20th Century Fox. The distributor, Showbox, noted that the investment agreement included provisions for a potential sequel and a U.S. remake, with Na Hong-jin attached to direct the latter if it were to proceed.

Actor Kim Yun-seok — Kim Yun-seok plays the underworld boss Myung-ga.

Reception

The Yellow Sea was released in South Korea on December 22, 2010. During its opening weekend (December 24–26), it reached the number one spot at the South Korean box office, selling 815,177 tickets across 726 screens and accounting for 25.2% of total ticket sales for that period. The film was subsequently featured at numerous international film festivals, including the 64th Cannes Film Festival in 2011, where it was screened in the Un Certain Regard section.

Actor Cho Seong-ha — Cho Seong-ha plays the character Tae-won.

Scene from The Yellow Sea — A scene from the film featuring the gritty atmosphere of the production.